Emergency alarm system



Aus. 3, 1943. w. G. BAUER 2,325,902

EMERGENCY ALARM SYSTEM Filed Jan. 8, 1942' g Il) M'Z/Yaff/ 'auer IN VEN TOR.

ATTD RNEYB Patented Aug. 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PAT ENT GFF I CE `2.325,90?. nsianoenoy ALARM SYSTEM William G. Bauer, Brooklyn,V Md. Application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 426,635

s 1 claim.'v (ci. 177-352) This invention relates to an emergency signal system and has. for an object to provide 'a system etl this character which may. be operated independently oi current suppliedfby local electric services in the event of a breakdown or other failure of current supply due, .for example, to bombing in time of War.

A further object is to provide a signal system which can be operated on ran emergency power supply including a gasoline engine driven generator for energizing a conventional vacuum tube amplifier, the input of which is supplied by a phonograph and the output of which is in circuit with electrically operated sire-ns, there being two remote control switch means for interchangeably connecting the conventional service circuit with the amplier or the emergency gasoline motor driven generator circuit vwith the amplifier.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which will'be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be ineipensive, to manufacture, and` which will not easily getout of order. Y

With theY above and otherobieots ii "iew the invention consists of certain 'novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fullyrdescribed andlclaimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the `scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing ary of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specincation, the figure is a diagrammatic viewl showing the'different pieces of apparatus and the electricalconnecticns there ance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, l designates a plurality of loud speakers which are connected to the output circuit wires Il and I2 of a vacuum tube amplifier I3. The electric pickup Iii of a conventional electrically driven phonograph i5 is connected by a line Ida to the input circuit wires I6 and Il of the amplifier. Also a microphone I8 is connected in parallel with the input circuit wires through the medium of circuit wires I3 and 2B, there being a manually operable switch 2l connected with the circuit wires 2t and l? so that the microphone may be energized simultaneously with or independently of the operation of the phonograph to give voice instructions while the phonograph is used as, an alarm device, producing code signals such as are conventionally used during air raids and at the end of an air raid. The amplifier I3 which may be of any 55 well known construction, is equipped with cut-cti switches and other conventional controls. The switches only are shown, and for convenience they are shown as being located in the lines No and i4 and are designated lb and Mb.

The present invention also contemplates energizing the amplifier and the phonograph selectively from a 119 volt local service supply or through the medium of an vemergency current supply.

The emergency current supply comprises a gasoline engine 22 for driving a generator 23, on which there is mounted a junction box 24 to which arev connected 110 volt circuit wires 25 and '6 as well as circuit wires 2l and 23, one of which is connected to a starting battery for the gasoline engine indicated at E and the other which leads to the stationary Contact of a solenoid switch 3|. The battery is connected by a circuit wire 32 to a circuit wire 33 which is connected to the stationary contacts 351 of remote control switches 35 for selectively closing the battery circuit to start operation of the gasoline engine driven generator, or toV utilize the 110 volt service power supply indicated by the circuit wires 36 and 31 for operating the signal system. The movable member of each remote control switch 35 is connected to a common wire 38 to which circuit wires 39 and 4S are connected in parallel, the wire 3S being connected to the movable member of they solenoid switch 3l in the battery circuit while the wire 40 is connected to a fixed switch contact 4l of the switch unit Mat of a change-y over relay 42h, the Contact 4i being connected by a wire 42 to the coil 31a of the solenoid switch 3l, the coil being connected by a wire 43 to the amplifier. When the movable member of either remote control switch 35 is moved to circuit closing position with the iixed battery circuit contact 3, the battery circuit may be traced from the battery 2S to the wire 2l, wire 28, closed solenoid switch Si, it being assumed that the service supply has failed, and the solenoid is deenergized, wire 39, wire 38, movable remote control switch member 35, battery switch contact 34, wire 33, wire 32 to the battery, to start operation of the gasoline engine for driving the generator. When the generator starts the coil Sla of the solenoid switch 3i will be energized to open the solenoid switch and open the battery circuit and then current will be supplied from the generator through the wire 2S, wire 42, coil Sia of the solenoid switch Si, to hold the switch open, and wire 3, returning from the amplifier through the wire 44, a wire 45 connected to the wire M,

S. For this purpose the service supply wire 3l'V is connected to the coil 42a of the relay 12b by a wire 5l the coil 'also being connected by a wire 52 Yto a wire 53 which is connected to the stationary contact 54 of the switch uniti-ia, theV wire 53 being connected to the service xed switch contact 5ta of one of the remote control switches 35, this contact being connected bya wire 55 to the service switch contact 55a o-f the other rekmote control switch.

Whenjeither remote controlswitoh is in circuit closing positionjto .close the service supply 'at the switch, the servicefsupply circuit maybe traced from Ythe wire 36, to the wire d, amplifier i3, wire 3, solenc-id switch 3l to hold the switch open, wire 32, contact il of switch unit 51a, wire itil, remote control switch member S5, stationary vcontact Eso thereof, wire 53, wire 5d, coil 42a of the relay ib and wire 5l to the other service supply wire 37.

vIn operation, upon the failure of the service switch 3l opensY the battery circuit. The signal system is supplied with current from the secondary source until the main source is again active. To switch over from the secondary source to the main source, one of the remote control switches 35 is operated to engage one of the contacts 54a. This closes the circuit including the wire 3l, coil 42 of the change-over relay 42h, wires 52 and 53, the operated remote control switch 35, wires Lili, 42 and 43, amplier i3, wire M and switch 4b and Wire'l. The closing of this circuit causes the change-over relay 42h to operate in a manner to open the switch unit 66a and close the switch unit 4ta, resulting in the changing over from the secondary to the main Y source ofcurrent.

current, the solenoid is deenergized which closes the battery circuit which in turn starts the gas engine. The gas engine then drives the generator which supplies the current to the signal.

The operation or" theV system'may be briey described to be as follows: When the service or main source of current, to which the wires 3G and 3l are connected, is active and the system is in use, the relay switch unit lita is open 4as is alsothe switch Si; the relay switch unit @la and Y Vthe switch'tb are closed, and either one or both of the switches litt) and 2l are closed. In the 4 even or failureof this source of current, the

change-over relay 12b will be de-'energized This will'result in the opening of the switch unit lila,

From the above description it is thought that: the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation. y

I claim:

Inan alarm system, the combination with electrically operated signal means, a mainv circuitl including said means and adapted to be connected to a service source of current, a motorgenerator unit, a secondary circuit including said unit, a change-over relay embodying rst and second switch units interposed respectively in said main and secondary circuits, the coil of said relay being located in said main circuit to maintain said iirstV switch unit closed and said second switch unit opened when the service source is active, a starting circuit for said motor-generator unit, asource of current for said starting circuit, asolenoid switch and a normally opened manually operable switch in said starting circuit, the cc-il of the said solenoid switch being in said main circuitV to maintain said switch opened while the service source of current is active, said rst switch source so as to open the main circuit'and connect said signaling means to said secondary circuit, Y

said solenoid switch being adapted to close on the failure of said current source so as to permit the starting of the Vmotor-generator unit on the closing of said manually operable switch said solenoid switchagain opening on the operation of said unit, and a circuit connected to said main circuit and to the coil of the relay and said manually operable switch so as to effect the opening of said second switchunit and the closing of said inst switch unit when said manually operable switch is closedcn the restorationof the service source of current and thus disconnect said signal means from said secondary circuit and close said 

